Can Alzheimer's be prevented with lifestyle changes?

A new study shows approximately 33 percent of Alzheimer's cases could be prevented with specific lifestyle changes that lower the chances of the disease.

Alzheimer's disease is a growing concern, especially given our aging population. Statistics have shown the disease is expected to affect more than 106.2 million people worldwide by the year 2050.

Top seven risks for Alzheimer's that you can change

According to the finding from University of Cambridge, England researchers, there are seven top risk factors for Alzheimer's disease that you can change to help prevent the disease.

Lack of exercise

Diabetes

Mid-life hypertension

Middle-age obesity

Depression

Smoking

Lack of education

Advertisement

Modifying the above dementia risks by as little as ten percent would mean 9 million fewer cases of Alzheimer's disease by 2050 the researchers estimated.

"Although there is no single way to prevent dementia, we may be able to take steps to reduce our risk of developing dementia at older ages. We know what many of these factors are, and that they are often linked," said Carol Brayne, MD, from the Institute of Public Health at the University of Cambridge who was a researcher for the study.

Brayne said exercise alone lowers the chances of obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes that in turn could prevent dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

The finding is published in the journal Lancet Neurology.

The study authors explained worldwide lack of education is the biggest risk for the disease while in the US it is inactivity.

Other known ways to help prevent Alzheimer's include consuming a Mediterranean diet and controlling cholesterol. Recent research suggests early intervention for cutting your Alzheimer's risk is possible with a test that measure phospholipids in the bloodstream. The new study suggests one-third of Alzheimer's disease cases could be prevented by following a healthy lifestyle. .

In one particular study, using brain stimulation, a metal spiral is placed on the head of an Alzheimer's patient and sends an electric shock to the surface of the patient's skull to stimulate the activity of neurons.

Scientists from Australia and Japan united in a team effort to find a way to detect the early onset of Alzheimer’s disease. The blood test they developed has proven to be successful as published in the journal, Nature.